Vietnamese Football: From Academies to the International Arena

When I started following Vietnamese football in the 1990s, the national teams often struggled to find consistency. Talented players appeared and disappeared, and major victories often came from luck rather than a systematic training program. But today, as I sit in a café in Chiang Mai and review the matches of the Vietnamese national team, I realize that things have changed significantly. This change did not come from a single individual or a specific match. It came from a long process, starting from youth academies across the provinces. I have documented the development of football academies in Vietnam for over a decade, and I see that investment in infrastructure and coaches has created a new generation of players, more confident and disciplined. One of the clearest signs of this progress is the performance of the Vietnam U23 team at the 2026 Asian U23 Championship. They reached the final, an unprecedented achievement in history. But more importantly, it was how they played: an organized, disciplined, and effective style. This is not accidental. It is the result of years of hard work in the academies. I remember an afternoon at a youth training center in Hanoi. The young players, around 14-15 years old, were practicing team movement drills based on the coach's hand signals. They repeated these drills hundreds of times, not to impress anyone, but to build implicit understanding. This is how modern football is built, and Vietnam has learned this from developed football nations. The investment in academies has not only brought results on the pitch. It has also created a new football culture, where young players are taught discipline, teamwork, and respect. This is evident in how they treat referees, opponents, and fans. However, not everything is perfect. There are still issues with management and finances at some clubs. But overall, Vietnamese football is on the right track. With what I have witnessed, I believe the national team will continue to achieve success in the future, not only in Southeast Asia but also on the continental stage.